Training and help to complete your LEADER rural grant application

We have developed a complete package of training and support, led by Ed Beckmann of Interweave Now Ltd, to help you plan your project or business and make a grant application

The LEADER grant funding will be available in England until 2013, and it can be used for a huge variety of things, depending on where you are based. However, many people find the application process daunting both because the funding has to go to the type of project it is intended to, and because to give everyone a good chance of success it asks you to do a lot of resesarch and planning for your project well in advance.

Fortunately each LEADER area has a team of people there to help you find your way through the application process, and some areas have supported the online training. The site has a variety of handouts, explanations,and worksheets which will explain the grant process and help you develop your project and business plan step-by-step. We even have discussion forums (open only to grant applicants) where you can share ideas and information.

Ed has developed this online training and also delivers advice personally. He has had years of experience helping individuals, rural businesses and communities to develop their ideas, gain a clear purpose and make a proposal for funding. As appraiser for several LEADER areas he also knows what makes a good LEADER funding application.

What are the costs involved in getting this extra help?

The areas supporting this website enable you to use all of it free of charge, so if your area is listed contact them now and ask for access. If your area is not listed, try calling them to ask if they would fund access for you. Our details are in the box on the right of this page so they can speak with us and discover how much extra help you could get

If your local area will not fund access to this site, do contact us to discuss how you can use it independently.

What's the catch?

There isn't one. The information and worksheets on the website are all based on our knowledge and experience. We believe that they will help you become more confident about the way you present your application and clearer how the project will run, but the final decision for every grant application is made locally. Feedback has shown that our way of explaining things helps people understand better, explore more options for funding, explain their project better and get confident with finance. Most importantly, they feel that it saves a lot of time!